Brush, mop, and the like



June 25, 1940. Q MUCKENHlRN 2,205,535

BRUSH, MOP, AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 8. 1953 amaze Macemf-/L y Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES BRUSH, MOP, AND THE LIKE Ottilie Muckenhirn, Basel, Switzerland Application February 8, 1938, Serial No. 189,440

In Switzerland December 1, 1937 1 6 Claims.

The invention relates to a mop or brush or other device used in the maintenance of floors or stairs andby means of which they can be mopped, waxed and brushed. It comprises a resiliently disposed upper part provided with a socket for a handle and a lower part interchangeably connected therewith and the upper side of which lower part is provided along two sides with supporting points with offset surfaces between which the resilient upper part is engaged. Pressure exerted on the upper part releases it from the supporting points of the lower part or reengages it therein, the connection between the two parts thereby being rapidly and easily released.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide an inexpensive yet efficient mop or brush with a readily detachable interchangeable arrangement betweenhandle holding or top part and the lower or working part.

Another object is the provision of a simple form of readily removable handle.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention, provided with a handle, are illustrated on the drawing.

Fig. `l is a cross-section of a mop embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above of the lower part of the device;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale, of a second embodiment of the invention, in which the lower part is made wholly of sheet metal;

Fig. 4 is a top View of a complete device partly broken away, showing the inter-engagement of the upper and lower parts;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a third embodiment of the invention showing the manner of securing a dust or Waxing cloth around a brush body made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section of another form showing slots with re-entrant surfaces on the lower part;

Fig. 7 is a view of the lower end of a readily detachable handle according to the invention;

and

Fig. 8 is a further embodiment of such a handle.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1,

the device it will be noted, comprises the resilient upper part A preferably made of sheet metal and having an inverted V-shaped crosssection. While the arms of this part are more or less resilient per se, one or more curved at leaf springs of steel I are provided within the arms of the V-shaped part A to assure the resiliency thereof. To one side, that is. to one of the arms of the part A is fastened in any desired manner, a cylindrical socket C for a handle D.

The lower part ofthe device is' shown-at' B and in Fig. l comprises a rectangular fiat base of "5 wood or rubber or any desired material, to the upper surface of which there is secured'a sheet metal tray-like part 2, the longitudinal edges of which have been bent up as shown at 3 to form l re-entrant inner surfaces as shown at 4. These 10 bent over portions 3 form ribs between which the resilient arms of the upper part A are sprung and serve to hold the same securely to the lower part. At the ends of the ribs or upturned pore tions 3 there are provided inturned stop portions l5 5 which prevent the longitudinal displacement of the part A when the sameis secured within the ribs of the part B.

The part A, serves to hold a piece of fabric,

such as a mop cloth E wrapped around the lower 20 part B and over the ribs 3 thereof, as shown in Fig. 1,through the resiliency and spring action of the arms of the part A sprung between the ribs on the part B. The part A securely holds the ends of the mop cloth in place and also 25 rigidly fastens the parts A and B together. If the cloth E is to be removed for the purpose of wash# ing it or for substituting another cloth, such as a polishing or waxing cloth, it is only necessary to exert pressure on the sides of the upper part A, 30 squeezing the tWo arms thereof together and removing the same from within the re-entrant sur-l faces provided on the part B. To facilitate the springing or pressing together of the arms of the part A, one side thereof is providedlwith a -3'5 longitudinally extending struck-up rib 6, which provides a gripping surface for the fingers making it easier for the hand` to force together the two arms of the member A and remove the same from B. 40

In Fig. 3, the'lower part Bis madeentirely of sheet metal and the re-entrant -surfacestfor holdingthe arms of the part A', are formed'by bending up the edges of thersh'eet metal plate on two longitudinal edges thereof in the formof 45 hollow channels l5. The action of holding the part A to the part B and retaining a polishing cloth such as F tothe part B', is exactly the same in this form as in the previous form.

In this View, Fig. 3, there is shown in somewhat 50 greater detail the manner of holding a handle D in the socket C. The handle D is detachably secured within the socket C through a clamping action provided by means of a flat leaf spring 'I secured on D and having an upwardly bowed por- 55 tion about substantially midway of its length. As will be noted from Fig. 7, the handle D has been slightly reduced in diameter' at the portion 8 so that it can readily be slid into the socket C and retained therein by the spring action of the member I. The spring I naturally prevents the handle D from accidentally coming out of the socket, yet, on the other hand, permits the same to be forcibly withdrawn therefrom.

On Fig. 8 the handle is provided with a spring I2 secured thereto and having two humps or broad portions. This assures of a somewhat tighter grip in the socket C.

In the top view, Fig. 4, the construction shown in cross-section in Fig. 3, also illustrates clearly the gripping surface 6 and the inturned stops I I at the ends of the channels I5.

In Fig. 5, the lower part is shown as a brush B2 of wood or similar material, on the upper surface of which are longitudinal ribs 8 havingr reentrant surfaces between which the arms of the part A are sprung and retained. In this view it will be seen how a dust or waxing cloth such as F can be wrapped around the tufts Ill of the brush B2 and held in place by the part A.

In Fig. 6 the lower part is again formed as a brush B3 but in this form the re-entrant surfaces are formed as one side of grooves or channels 9. There are two such grooves or channels 9, each running parallel with a longitudinal edge .of the brush B3. The coaction of the part A with the part B3 is the same in this form as in ea-ch of the others.

It is obvious that once the broad features of the invention as here disclosed, are understood, many modifications and adaptations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the claims as hereunto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, cornprising a resilient sheet metal upper part including longitudinal edges and having a substantially right angled cross-section, a handle socket secured to one side of the right angled part, a lower part interchangeably connected to the upper part, and leaf spring means secured between the angularly disposed sides of the upper part for augmenting the resiliency thereof, the upper side of the lower part being provided with longitudinal 1re-entrant surfaces between which the longitudinal edges of the resilient upper part engage in securing the two parts together.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a resilient upper part including longitudinal edges and having an inverted V-shaped cross-section, a handle socket secured thereto, a lower part interchangeably connected to the upper part, and leaf spring means secured between the angularly disposed sides of the upper part for imparting resiliency thereto, the upper side of the lower part being provided with longitudinal re-entrant surfaces between which the longitudinal edges of the resilient upper part engage in securing the two parts together.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a resilient upper part including longitudinal edges and having an inverted V-shaped cross-section, a handle socket secured thereto, a lower part interchangeably connected to the upper part, and leaf spring means secured between the angularly disposed sides of the V- shaped upper part for augmenting the resiliency thereof, the upper side of the lower part being provided with longitudinal ribs having re-entrant surfaces between which the longitudinal edges of the resilient upper part engage in securing the two parts together.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a resilient sheet metal upper part including longitudinal edges a-nd having an inverted V-shaped cross-section, a handle socket secured thereto, a lower part interchangeably connected to the upper part, leaf spring means secured between the angularly disposed sides of the upper part for augmenting the resiliency thereof, the upper side of the lower part being provided with longitudinal re-entrant surfaces between which the longitudinal edges of the resilient upper part engage in securing the two parts together and stops provided at the ends of the re-entrant sur faces for preventing longitudinal movement of the upper part on the lower part. f

5. A device of the character described, comprising a resilient upper part having an inverted V-shaped cross-section and longitudinal edges, a handle socket secured thereto, a lower part interchangeably connected to the upper part, leaf `spring means secured between the angularly disposed sides of the upper part for imparting resiliency thereto, the upper side of the lower part being provided with longitudinal re-entrant surfaces between which the longitudinal edges of the resilient upper part engage in securing the two parts together and the upper part being provided with a longitudinally extending gripping surface between the apex and the longitudinal edges of the V-shaped upper part to facilitate contraction of the upper part in securing the same to and releasing the same from the lower part.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a resilient upper part 'having an inverted V-shaped cross-section and longitudinal edges, a handle socket secured thereto at one of the sides of the V-shaped portion, a lower part interchangeably connected to the upper part, and leaf spring means secured between the angularly disposed sides of the upper part for imparting resiliency thereto, the upper side of the lower part being provided with longitudinal re-entrant surfaces between which the longitudinal edges of the resilient upper part engage for clamping the upwardly turned edges of a cloth wrapped around the lower part therebetween and securing the two parts together.

O'IIILIE MUCKENHIRN. 

